Compressible needleless valve assembly

ABSTRACT

A valve for a needleless valve system. The valve includes a body configured to be disposed in the needleless valve system and controlling fluid flow through the needleless valve system and wherein the body is tail-less. The body includes a continuous top surface, and a compression feature configured to control how the body is compressed to allow fluid flow through the needleless valve system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/887,144, filed on Oct. 19, 2015, entitled “COMPRESSIBLE NEEDLELESSVALVE ASSEMBLY,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 13/673,971, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,162,029,entitled “TAILLESS NEEDLELESS VALVE SYSTEM,” the disclosure of each ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

A needleless valve system that includes a valve with a tail requires ahousing that can encompass the tail. Accordingly, additional force isrequired to compress the tail and additional fluid is required to primeand/or flush the housing that encompasses the tail.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-B depicts embodiments of tail-less valves.

FIGS. 2-4 depicts embodiments of needleless valve systems.

The drawings referred to in this description should be understood as notbeing drawn to scale except if specifically noted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the presenttechnology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. While the technology will be described in conjunction withvarious embodiment(s), it will be understood that they are not intendedto limit the present technology to these embodiments. On the contrary,the present technology is intended to cover alternatives, modificationsand equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope ofthe various embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

Furthermore, in the following description of embodiments, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present technology. However, the present technologymay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well known methods, procedures, and components have not been describedin detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the presentembodiments.

FIGS. 1A-2 depicts an isometric cross-sectional view of variousembodiments of valves 100A-C, respectively. Specifically, FIG. 2 depictsan isometric cross-sectional view of a needleless valve assembly 200.

Valves 100A-C are similar in structure and functionality. For clarityand brevity, the description herein, will focus on valve 100A. Valve100A and other valves described herein can also be described as a valveplug, piston, etc. Valve 100A is configured to be utilized in aneedleless valve system, which will be described in further detailbelow.

Valve 100A is tail-less. That is valve 100A does not include a tail thatprotrudes down from body 110.

In contrast, in conventional valves for a needleless valve system, thevalve includes a tail portion that physically contacts the valvehousing. In particular, the tail is compressed by a needleless luer.When the luer is removed from the housing, the tail relaxes to itsoriginal position and urges the valve back into a sealed position.

Because valve 100A is tail-less, less material is required tomanufacture the valve and also less material manufacture the housing(e.g., housing 210) that surrounds valve. As a result, cost is reducedto manufacture the tail-less valve and associated needleless valveassembly.

Moreover, less force is required to deform the valve into an unsealedposition as compared to a conventional valve that includes a tail.

Additionally, the height of the valve is reduced. As a result, thehousing to encase the valve is also reduced. As such, the housing mayinclude a lower volume (e.g., volume 330) as compared to housings ofconventional needleless valve assemblies. Therefore, less fluid isrequired to properly prime and/or flush the housing.

Valve 100A includes, among other things, body 110, top surface 120,compression feature 130A, internal cavity 132A and retaining flange 140.

Top surface 120 is configured to seal a port of a housing, which will bedescribed in detail below. Top surface 120 is continuous and does notinclude (or does not require) any broken portions. For example, topsurface 120 is a continuous feature that does not include a slit, cut,hole, etc. In particular, top surface 120 does not require a splitseptum.

Top surface 120 is a smooth unbroken surface. As such, when top surfaceis swabbed, pathogens are readily removed and the surface is properlysanitized.

Retaining flange 140 is for retaining valve 100A within housing 210. Itshould be appreciated that valve 100A may be retained within the housingby various retaining features and mechanisms that are compatible forproper and secure retention.

Compression feature 130A is a wall with a thickness that is greater, ascompared, to the wall thickness proximate the thick wall. It should benoted that a compression feature, as described herein, is any physicalfeature or combination of physical features that controls or directs thecompression/collapse of the valve. For example, compression feature130A, because it has a greater wall thickness, will cause body 110 tocompress in an area with a thinner wall thickness (or an area away fromcompression feature 130A). Also, the combination of compression feature130A and cavity 132 may facilitate in the controlled location of thecompression of valve 100A.

Compression feature 130B is a through hole or cavity through the entirebody. As such, valve 110B will readily collapse or compress in the areaof compression feature 130B.

Compression feature 132C is an amorphous and asymmetrical cavityextending from a bottom surface up towards top surface 120. As such,valve 110C will readily collapse or compress in the area of compressionfeature 132C.

It should be appreciated that various compression features can be, butare not limited to, asymmetric along a center cross-section of saidbody, off-set along a center cross-section of said body, etc.

FIG. 2 depicts needleless valve assembly 200 in a closed or sealedposition. That is, valve 100C, in a relaxed and natural position, isseated in housing 210 via retaining flange 140. In particular, theperipheral outer surface of valve 100C seals against inner wall 212 suchthat port 214 is fluidly sealed. That is, fluid is unable to passthrough port 214 (in either direction).

In various embodiments, needleless valve assembly 200 can be attached orfluidly connected to a catheter or a stop-cock. Needleless valveassembly 200 may be integrated with other valving mechanisms, such as astop cock.

Valves 100A-C may be comprised of any material that is conducive forproper sealing and controlled deformation and an ability to naturallyspring back to its natural position. For example, valves may becomprised of silicone.

FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional view of needleless valve assembly 300.Needleless device 350 (e.g., a needleless syringe) is forced into port314 such the valve (e.g., valves 100A-C) is deformed. For clarity andbrevity, the displacement of top surface 320 is shown during unsealingof port 314. However, the compressed or deformed body of the valvewithin housing 310 is not shown.

Needleless device 350 displaces the head of valve downward along innerwall 312. Once top surface 320 is positioned within shoulder 316 (whichhas a greater diameter than the diameter at inner wall 312) then theseal is broken and fluid flow is able to occur. In one embodiment, topsurface 320 is planar and/or tilted (at an angle with respect to the tipof the needleless device) based on the compression feature (e.g.,compression features 130A-C) of the body of the valve.

Fluid is able to flow in direction 340 from needleless device 350,around top surface 320 and through housing 310 to the patient. It shouldbe appreciated that housing 310 and/or the valve include ports orchannels (not shown) that allow the fluid to pass entirely throughneedleless valve assembly 300.

In one embodiment, fluid flow may occur in the opposite direction. Forexample, blood is drawn from the patient into volume 330 around thevalve and top surface 320 into a needleless syringe.

When needleless device 350 is removed from needleless valve assembly300, the valve relaxes to its original position such that top surfacereseals port 314.

FIG. 4 depicts a cross-sectional view of needleless valve assembly 400.Needleless valve assembly 400 is similar to needleless valve assembly300, as described above. In one embodiment, top surface 420 is deformedin a “V-shape” when the needleless device pushes down on top surface 420and the valve is deformed such that the port is unsealed. In particular,top surface 420 is deformed into the “V-shape” based on the compressionfeature (e.g., compression features 130A-C) of the body of the valve. Assuch, fluid is able to flow in direction 440 from the needleless device,around top surface 420 and through the housing to the patient. It shouldbe appreciated that the housing and/or the valve include ports orchannels (not shown) that allow the fluid to pass entirely throughneedleless valve assembly 400.

In various embodiments, top surface 420 can be deformed into anynon-planar shape such the seal is broken and fluid is able to flowthrough needleless valve assembly 400.

It should be appreciated that embodiments, as described herein, can beutilized or implemented alone or in combination with one another. Whilethe present invention has been described in particular embodiments, itshould be appreciated that the present invention should not be construedas limited by such embodiments, but rather construed according to thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A needleless valve assembly comprising: a housingand a compressible valve body disposed therein for controlling a fluidflow through the needleless valve assembly, the valve body comprising: ahead having a distal end and a proximal end, and a compression featurecomprising a cavity extending through the valve body between the distalend of the head and the proximal end of the head, the distal end of thehead comprising a continuous top surface; and an annular skirt coupledto the proximal end of the head, the skirt comprising a retaining flangeat a proximal most end of the valve body, extending radially outwardfrom a central longitudinal axis of the valve body; wherein thecompression feature is positioned offset from the retaining flange alongthe central longitudinal axis, and the compression feature is configuredto control how the valve body is compressed to permit the fluid flowthrough the needleless valve assembly.
 2. The needleless valve assemblyof claim 1, wherein the continuous top surface is non-planar during thefluid flow through the needleless valve assembly.
 3. The needlelessvalve assembly of claim 1, wherein the continuous top surface is planarduring the fluid flow through the needleless valve assembly.
 4. Theneedleless valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the continuous top surfaceis tilted with respect to a top surface of the housing during the fluidflow through the needleless valve assembly.
 5. The needleless valveassembly of claim 1, wherein the continuous top surface is deformed in aV-shape during the fluid flow through the needleless valve assembly. 6.The needleless valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the continuous topsurface does not require a slit.
 7. The needleless valve assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the compression feature is positioned radially inwardfrom the annular skirt.
 8. The needleless valve assembly of claim 1,wherein the compression feature is asymmetric along a centercross-section of the valve body.
 9. The needleless valve assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the compression feature is off-set along a centercross-section of the valve body.
 10. The needleless valve assembly ofclaim 1, wherein the cavity extends from the proximal end of the headtoward the continuous top surface.
 11. A compressible valve body forcontrolling a fluid flow through a compressible needleless valveassembly, the valve body comprising: a head having a distal end and aproximal end, and a compression feature comprising a cavity extendingthrough the valve body between the distal end of the head and theproximal end of the head, the distal end of the head comprising acontinuous top surface; and an annular skirt coupled to the proximal endof the head, the skirt comprising a retaining flange at a proximal mostend of the valve body, extending radially outward from a centrallongitudinal axis of the valve; wherein the compression feature ispositioned offset from the retaining flange along the centrallongitudinal axis, and the compression feature is configured to controlhow the valve is compressed to permit the fluid flow through theneedleless valve assembly.
 12. The compressible valve body of claim 11,wherein the continuous top surface is non-planar during the fluid flowthrough the needleless valve assembly.
 13. The compressible valve bodyof claim 11, wherein the continuous top surface is planar during thefluid flow through the needleless valve assembly.
 14. The compressiblevalve body of claim 11, wherein the continuous top surface is tiltedrelative to a plane defined by the retaining flange during the fluidflow through the needleless valve assembly.
 15. The compressible valvebody of claim 11, wherein the continuous top surface is deformed in aV-shape during the fluid flow through the needleless valve assembly. 16.The compressible valve body of claim 11, wherein the continuous topsurface does not require a slit.
 17. The compressible valve body ofclaim 11, wherein the compression feature is positioned radially inwardfrom the annular skirt.
 18. The compressible valve body of claim 11,wherein the compression feature is asymmetric along a centercross-section of the valve body.
 19. The compressible valve body ofclaim 11, wherein the compression feature is off-set along a centercross-section of the valve body.
 20. The compressible valve body ofclaim 11, wherein the cavity extends from the proximal end of the headtoward the continuous top surface.